Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

Madson or Papelbon?

The Phillies might sign a closer to a multiyear contact in the coming days.

It could be Ryan Madson.

But don’t rule out Jonathan Papelbon.

Sources said the Phillies and Madson’s agent Scott Boras never reached an agreement on a four-year, $44 million deal, which has been widely reported since yesterday. The sources said the parties continue to talk, but no deal is imminent.

While the Phillies have been talking to Boras about Madson, they also have been talking to Sam and Seth Levinson, who represent Papelbon. Ruben Amaro Jr. has said he wants a veteran closer in the bullpen next season, and Papelbon certainly fits the bill. He is a four-time All-Star with 219 career saves with the Boston Red Sox.

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15 Comments

I’m not really exciting about overpaying for either one of these guys. Can giving a 4-year deal to Madson actually work?
Papelbon doesn’t impress me enough to spend a lot of money on him at this stage of his career. I haven’t heard the numbers, but I’d guess that they would opt for Papelbon if the terms were shorter and cheaper.
Even so … was the closer REALLY the problem last year?

Sure, closer wasn’t the problem but, unfortunately, it never got to that point. I will point out that the closer was central to the last four WS winners. In 2008, ’09 and ’10 the closers (Lidge, Rivera, Wilson) shut down the opposition and in 2011, the closer failed (Feliz) and cost his team a WS win. You gotta have a good closer. Considering the inexperience of the rest of the bullpen, I’m on board with signing an experienced closer.

what ever happened to our golden rule about contracts no longer then 3 years for pitchers? I grant you Lee and Haladay are in a different catagory, and perhaps Hamels is, too, but for a closer? I’m in favor of 2 year deals with vesting options for 2 more based on saves, innings, time on DL, etc. We don’t need another Lidge/Polly/Blanton contract around our necks

As a side note, season ticket holders got their (our) statements this week. Included in my Section 326 tickets is a $2 per game price increase. I haven’t seen that reported anywhere. Perhaps we are numb to yet another increase or just relegated to paying it silently.
Regardless, $34 to watch a baseball game from the upper deck is getting to be a bit much.
Comments?

Philly.com had an article about it yesterday. I agree the prices may be climbing too high, but fans continue to pay. And I can’t blame the Phillies for making as much money as possible – at least they’re spending it and putting a quality team on the field.

without arguing about whether it is too much or not, if you want the team to sign a closer at 10+MM, A ss AT 10 mm, bring in a utility guy at $8+mm, have a rotaton of Halladay, Lee, Hamels, a 1B like Howard, etc then you have to pay for it. You should be thankful you don’t have to pay $5 to watch the Pitates or Astros

FIJ: Don’t fool yourself. They earn plenty of money from TV, parking, concessions and all the extras that go with owning a baseball team – including the scoreboard ads. Tickets are a small part of the bigger picture. What justifies a 6% price increase?
The Pirates and Astros have nothing to do with it. We paid to watch bad Phillies teams too. Nice to know that, from Israel, you’re so giving with our money. Come over here and pay for tickets.

Gee thanks, Norma. What great advice. So, I can’t have an opinion? I can’t ask a question? If season ticket holders don’t voice their opinion, management will continue to raise prices.
Regular working people are being priced-out of sports. Hockey and football are already corporate events. There is so much commercialism built into the game now, I don’t think their paying customers should bear the burden.
And, you’re paying for that TV you’re watching too.

Dodgers fans were so repulsed with McCourt that they stopped coming, even the long-time season ticket holders…..attendance way down in 2011. Had nothing to do with prices…but lo and behold, Dodgers have dropped the price of season tickets for 2012. So NOT coming can make a difference…if everyone plays the boycott game. Hard to do when the Phils consistently spend LOTS of money on players and have winning results. Unfortunately, if the corporations and long-time season ticket holders keep buying seats, there ain’t a damn thing Joe fan can do about prices. I’ve been a Dodger nut for over 40 years, and 2011 was the first year I did not attend ONE game. It can be done…but if you’re enjoying yourself, why bother.

THe DOgers went from being a top team, to a joke. While I admit, Muleman, that I’ve attended 1 game the past 25 + years (in NY no less) the same problem exists here as well. IF you want to watch a good team, who invests year after year to get top players and put on a top show, you need to pay top dollar. Not saying its fair, saying it’s the fact of life

“Joke” is a pretty strong word, considering the Dodgers may have both the MVP and CY Young Award winners…and finished third in their division. We’re all baseball fans, here. Chill a bit. Our owner may have been a joke, but not the team.

Sadly kpookiemon, “joke” is not a strong word for what the Dodgers were this past season. When MLB has to pretty much take the wheel because your owner is out of control, that’s a “joke”. The Dodgers were a story on TMZ every bit as much as on ESPN.
Hopefully, the Dodgers get back on track, as they are one of the great franchises in MLB.

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